Dictionary: meaning, definitions and examples
📖
dictionary
[ ˈdɪkʃ(ə)n(ə)ri ]
reference
A book or electronic resource that lists the words of a language (typically in alphabetical order) and gives their meaning, or gives the equivalent words in a different language, often also providing information about pronunciation, origin, and usage.
Synonyms
lexicon, vocabulary, wordbook.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| dictionary |
Use in academic or educational settings when referring to a book or digital resource that provides the definitions, spellings, and pronunciations of words.
|
| lexicon |
Suitable for scholarly or specialized discussions about the vocabulary of a particular language, subject, or social group.
|
| vocabulary |
Commonly used in casual or formal speech and writing when referring to the set of words known and used by a person, group, or language.
|
| wordbook |
Considered somewhat archaic and less commonly used; it could be appropriate in literary texts or historical contexts.
|
Examples of usage
- I always keep a dictionary on my desk.
- She used the dictionary to look up the meaning of a word.
Translations
Translations of the word "dictionary" in other languages:
🇵🇹 dicionário
🇮🇳 शब्दकोश
🇩🇪 Wörterbuch
🇮🇩 kamus
🇺🇦 словник
🇵🇱 słownik
🇯🇵 辞書 (じしょ)
🇫🇷 dictionnaire
🇪🇸 diccionario
🇹🇷 sözlük
🇰🇷 사전 (sajeon)
🇸🇦 قاموس (qāmūs)
🇨🇿 slovník
🇸🇰 slovník
🇨🇳 词典 (cídiǎn)
🇸🇮 slovar
🇮🇸 orðabók
🇰🇿 сөздік
🇬🇪 ლექსიკონი (leksikoni)
🇦🇿 lüğət
🇲🇽 diccionario
Etymology
The word 'dictionary' originated from the Latin word 'dictionarium', meaning 'a collection of words and phrases'. The concept of a dictionary has evolved over centuries, with the first known dictionary dating back to ancient Sumer in the 3rd millennium BC. Dictionaries have played a crucial role in language development and communication.